Powys Metal Mines Survey

Llanymynech Ogof

Geology
Carboniferous limestones altered to dolomites in places with mudstone bands. The main lode strikes NNE with lead & copper ores, cerussite & malachite, as secondary oxidation products.

Workings
The main level is entered via a cavernous entrance from which radiate a number of narrow galleries connecting small chambers. There are numerous calcited stacked deads at least one group of which are thought to be Roman in date. Many of the small galleries are choked at the back by waste material. The 19th c. shaft, sunk in 1823, connects to a central main chamber (the Shaft Chamber) which was clearly not acessible from the entrance chamber at this time. Many of the earliest narrow workings were widened out in at least two recognisable subsequent phases of extraction at a later date. Some shot-holes have been recognised in the Shaft Chamber area.

Transport
No evidence.

Power
No evidence.

Processing
Lead smelting is perhaps evidenced by the reported former existence of 'bole hills' on top of the hill which were destroyed by the golf course.

Other features
No evidence.

Comments
Members of the Early Mines Research Group visited Llanymynech Ogof on 16/3/92. No evidence to suggest that the mine is Prehistoric was found but it was suggested that the mine has characteristic features of Roman and perhaps immediately Pre-Roman origin.

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